Cotterill: Hermann not ready to start

06 December 2010 01:00

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Portsmouth manager Steve Cotterill insists he will not rush Hermann Hreidarsson back into the starting line-up after his injury problems despite the club's left-back dilemma.
Pompey are currently deploying right-footed centre-half Joel Ward as a makeshift left-sided defender as Carl Dickinson, their regular left-back this season, remains suspended.
Veteran Iceland international Hreidarsson would seem the ideal solution having had eight weeks of training and made four short substitute appearances following his career-threatening Achilles injury.
But Cotterill says it is still too early for him to make the first XI and told Portsmouth Today: "As it is, he is not quite ready so we'll continue to hold him back a little bit.
"It's great to throw him on late in the match, asking him to run around up front and also giving us the ability of someone who can head it out of our box.
"At the moment, though, he is not ready for a start. Let's not forget, though, Joel was done well there."